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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Eudemonia (Happiness)is a Greek word commonly translated as happiness, however "human flourishing" is a more accurate translation. Eudemonia has links between virtue of character and happiness (eudaimonia) and is one of the central preoccupations of ancient ethics.

1.) Rewiring your emotions and your reactions: Get to the core of your issues or problems - Our lives consist of daily and sometimes long term, ongoing issues and problems. From the smallest to the biggest things it can really bring us down. No matter what problem we fix, there is always going to be a new one right around the horizon. Some issues are so big that they enable us to enter a fight or flight response. In this state we seem to disassociate ourselves and other things can emerge like rage, anger and hate… The very things I want you all to stay away from. What we must do is learn to rebuild the capacity to regulate our emotions. Our brains have to learn to rewire itself and this takes time.

2.) Realize that your vices are not a weakness: Reality is a state of being but the way we actually feel about is a completely different story. Most people are trying to escape their reality and their feelings associated with how their reality makes them feel. Pleas stop doing this and realize that we can change our realities by facing it and conquering it. When you allow your vices or reality to take control and alter the balance of what your life should be or your mental or physical well being, this is when we allow our vices/reality to become problematic. This is not exactly weakness but more of a frailty. Over come and face your reality, change it and become strong again. This is enables you to be the person you were meant to be.

3.) Find ways to be of service: As humans we have a wonderful ability called empathy. We use our bodies to absorb and tune into another persons feelings. This is truly an intimacy that we should utilize to connect with others ultimately to help ourselves by helping others. Unfortunately this is also a virtue that is becoming extinct in the modern age of technology and the culture of our world today. We need to start reconnecting to those around us, listening and caring. The simplest act of giving and gratitude makes our souls and our bodies healthy.

4.) Aristotle believed that real happiness is achieved by living a good life and by good life I don’t mean one of riches and fame. No, what I’m referring to is a life filled with nurturing, filled with substance and that is real. Since Aristotle also believed that everything progresses towards its greater goal, like rocks fall and fire goes up. However, our society is consumed with the falsity that we must be filled with happiness at all times, but think about this, a heroin addict feels this way when they take their first hit and then tends to believe this to be true thus making them an addict. Real happiness is about feeling nourished, fulfilled, and creating your life to mean something real, that you believe in.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Today I wanted to focus on love and not love in the sense that makes you think of Romeo and Juliet or Valentines Day, roses or even hot dates…Nope, today I want to talk about a love for things or moments that make your life so much better. Yes, the love we have for family and friends makes our life great but I’m talking about the category of love for the small things that speak to your heart, that some how makes your day so much better and that can it worth getting out of bed for…

Our lives are broken up into small moments and when put together; they all sort of make the bigger picture. There are some moments that are epic and some not so much but in the midst of everything, we find pleasure in the smaller things, some that we absolutely love! For me, watching a sunset on the beach or hearing the rain beat against my window seal on a Sunday afternoon is like no other pleasure in this world…

I am one of those people who actually stops to smell the roses and notice the birds nest in the tree in my front yard. Or takes the time to small the wind as it blows on my face. I love life and it’s because I take notice to these free gifts that I am such a joyous person!

When the weather first started to change, I remember seeing the very first flower of the season and feeling a wonderful sense of joy! It was purple and so tiny but to me it represented something so much bigger and held so much beauty. These are the things I refer to when I say “the love of things that make our lives so much better”.

If you’re a person who rarely finds time for the little things of life maybe it’s about time you did. Doing this not only opens your eyes to new experiences but it also makes your day so much better.

Challenge for today: Find at least one thing that you love, one small thing that made you smile, maybe you heard a bird sing in the morning or perhaps it was a rainbow after a storm. Maybe it was the smell of flowers or some other small thing… It doesn’t matter what it is, but it matters that you take notice.

Just start to pay attention and you will discover a world that you have been too busy to be a part of! Smile when you have this experience and enjoy the moment while you can!